Each of the categories are supposed to be monitored by one or two techs each, and those techs have the lead role for monitoring the category. That means that we want to be able to make certain automation rules that notifies just the lead techs of a category of certain events on the tickets in the category - not all techs which may work on that category.

We tried user custom fields but they couldnt be used in automation rules.

So the suggestion is either to make it possible to use user custom fields in automation rules - or add the ability to set certain techs as ”lead” techs for a category, and be able to base automation rule notifications on that.